Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
47
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
CONDUCTED BY B. B. WILSON
BOSTON PUBLISHERS DISCUSS FUTURE OF AMERICAN MUSIC
American Music and Standards of Criticism the Subject of Discussion at Recent Dinner of Boston
Music Publishers—Speakers Agree That Native Composers Are Coming Into Their Own
BOSTON,
MASS.,
December
17.—"American
Music and Standards of Criticism" was the sub-
ject discussed at the dinner of the Boston Music
Publishers' Association held last week at the
Parker House with Banks M. Davison, the presi-
dent, presiding. The views expressed on this
important question were informing, and on the
whole rather clearly proved that American com-
posers for the most part are discriminated
against.
President Davison's Letter
Mr. Davison started the discussion by reading
a letter which had' been sent out to the musical
critics of the city and which was as follows:
"The Boston Music Publishers' Association is
firmly convinced that the time is opportune to
encourage by every legitimate means a higher
regard and a deeper appreciation among music
lovers for the works of American composers.
In this country to-day there are many musicianly
men and women whose works of a serious char-
acter are demanding attention. A few have
gained wide popularity.
"Some of our concert artists, those who are
most catholic in their tastes, have for some
years included in their programs compositions
by American composers which have been well
received by audiences. To these artists, all of
them intelligent, discriminating, and apprecia-
tive of the best in their chosen field of music,
we believe America owes a big debt. But it
must be admitted on the whole that a just rec-
ognition of the work of American composers
is a slow and often discouraging process, which
prompts the query, Why is this so? Why this
seeming discrimination? Is there any musicianly
or artistic ground for it? Is it largely the
fault of our artists or must the public bear its
share of the blame for existing conditions?
"At a meeting of this association to be held
at the Parker House, Boston, on the evening of
Tuesday, December 11, this matter of American
compositions is to be given consideration in its
Still 200% Profit on
Famous
McKinley
10 Cent Music
AIL of the Best Reprints and more
Big Selling Copyrights than any
other 10 Cent Edition.
TO 6000 McKINLEY AGENTS
50 New Numbers
and New Catalogs
Now Ready for 1918
YOU ARE SURE TO HAVE CALLS
Better Music, Better Paper, Better Titles
Free catalogs with stock orders. We pay
for your advertising. Our music is as staple
as wheat.
Write for samples.
Chicago McKINLEY MUSIC CO. New York
HIT of the ANNA HELD
Show
many phases. Because of your close relation
to the world of music we would be glad to have
an expression from you, as well as from a few
others to whom we are also writing, as to the
worth of American compositions, and their fu-
ture in this country. Your views, we are sure,
would provide a substantial and intelligent con-
tribution to our discussion. We hope you will
be frank in your views of the conditions and
thank you in advance for what you may be will-
ing to offer."
Then followed the reading of the three re-
sponses: from Louis C. Elson, who did not think
on the whole that the American composer was
neglected; from Olin Downs, of the Boston
Post, who expressed the opinion that America's
musical progress in recent years has been most
encouraging; and from F. J. Mclsaac, of the
Boston American, who also has managed con-
certs in this city for six years. He wrote that
he was heartily in favor of American songs
when they have merit.
American Composers Stand on Own Merit
Mr. Elson wrote in part:
"I do not think that the American composer
is neglected. What with large prizes, with the
efforts of the Metropolitan Opera Co. of New
York, and the Chicago Opera-Co, to secure good
American operas, with the Handel and Haydn
Society always ready to examine native works,
with the Chicago Orchestra constantly giving
some native orchestral compositions, and Dr.
Muck performing some compositions which
would never have been heard, but for the fact
of their being of native origin, I believe that the
American composer, at least in the large forms,
ORDER TODAY
is receiving more attention, considering num-
bers and merit, than the European.
7c. Per Copy
"I believe that the best, and indeed the only
course, is to allow the American composer to
stand upon his own merits and win recognition
56 WEST 45th STREET, NEW YORK
at home and abroad apart from any considera-
tion of nationality.
"As regards publication, the large music firms never will be any chance for American music
are flooding the market with American songs unless it is more competently imitative of
and piano pieces. In the larger forms there European models. Both points of view are false
is, of course, less activity, but it is not so long and cowardly, and destructive of progress. Let
ago that it was impossible for an American to us be merciless critics of ourselves, but have
get a symphony or any orchestral work pub- real standards of criticism which are our own,
lished, save at his own expense. To-day sev- and which we stand by. For we have a great
eral firms have given out large works of this art to develop here and hints of what it is to
(Continued on page 48)
description, and I have a number of such works
(scores) in my library, which twenty-five years
ago would have been deemed incredible.
"The American composer has a better chance
to-day, with his work, in the United States, than
the German composer of equal rank had in his
SONGS
native land before the war."
'FOR YOU A ROSE"
•
America's Musical Progress Encouraging
'SOME SUNDAY MORNING"
"SO LONG MOTHER"
Mr. Downs' letter read:
'SAILING
AWAY
ON
THE
HENRY
"I personally think America's musical prog-
CXAY"
'DON'T TRY TO STEAL THE SWEET-
ress in recent years has been most encouraging, as
HEART OF A SOLDIER"
witness the number of American artists and com-
•ROOH-A-BYE LAND"
'MY MOTHER'S EYES"
positions by Americans heard to-day, compared
'SWEET PETOOTIE"
with conditions in this field even a quarter of a
'WAY DOWN THERE (A DIXIE BOY IS
MISSING)"
century ago. We still suffer, however, from
'SOUTHERN GALS"
two tendencies which may seem to be opposed,
"MAYBE SOMETIME"
but which, I think, emanate from a common
'SO THIS IS DIXIE"
'THE BRAVEST HEART OF ALL"
source: the tendency to brag about our music,
•WHERE
THE
MORNING
GLORIES
on the one hand, and the tendency to depreciate
GBOW"
'LAST NIGHT"
everything we do in art, in favor of the art of
INSTRUMENTAL
Europeans, on the other. We lack self-confi-
'IN THE SPOTLIGHT" (Waltz)
dence because we also lack intelligent and hon-
•CUTE AND PBETTY" (Fox Trot)
•CAMOUFLAGE" (One Step)
est self-criticism. We do not look ourselves in
'COLUMBIA" (One Step)
the face and say, 'This is little, but it is mine.'
'SMILING SAMMY" (Fox Trot)
Instead we either say, 'Our composers and per-
formers are equal to any in the world,' which
in the former case, at least, is manifestly un-
JEROME H. REM1CK & CO.
true, or else we say that there never was and
ST. Nrw>UxCiTY|iy WEST FORT ST. DEnto|T|rU«STir H«Kntclu«.QiiCA«o
FOLLOW ME
A.J.STASNYMUSICCO.
JEROME H.REMICK&Cp.S
^Sensational Son£ Hit